Green remodeling: Walls, paints and wallpaper

Not so invigorated by new paint smell? You might be sensitive to VOCs, which off-gas for weeks after paint is applied. VOCs like ethylene glycol can trigger skin rashes, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. “From paints to countertops and more, with every decision, we asked: ‘Will this have off-gassing? What is it made of?’” Filicia says, noting that he chose low-VOC paints and materials for Riverhouse.

- AFM Safecoat’s new zero-VOC Ayurveda Essence line is intended to help you find balance through colors that suit your personality. From $38.90 per gallon.

- Yolocolorhouse divides its no-VOC palettes into categories like air, grain, and petal. There’s also a “little Yolo” line, and tinted or white primer. Yolo, $39.95 per gallon, little Yolo, $10.95 per gallon.

- Mythic Paint has no VOCs and is also, the company claims, free of carcinogenic chemicals. It comes in subtle earth tones. About $38.95 per gallon.

- For a timeless, gentle look, the Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company’s Safepaint combines milk protein and lime with pigments. It arrives as a powder and you add water. $45.95 per gallon.

-Benjamin Moore’s Aura line meets California’s strict low–volatile organic compound (VOC) standards and ranked third in performance among 21 green and conventional paints in a March 2008 Consumer Reports test. $54.95 per gallon.

TIP: According to Paul Marquis of Green Home Solutions, milk-and-clay-based paints often don’t need a primer. How­ever, they should not be used in humid bathrooms or basements, which are more likely to sup­port mold growth.

WALLS: WALLPAPER

The fading, yellow wallpaper in your grandmother’s kitchen is most likely toxic PVC vinyl, which can also trap moisture, encouraging mold growth. Nowadays, one can choose breathable, natural materials.